Effectiveness of prison

[hot_pastrami]

The purpose of the prison system is ostensibly to rehabilitate criminals, but I know of few people who feel that it accomplishes that. It does sometimes act as a deterrent, and it does keep dangerous criminals (and naughty priests *cough*) off the streets for a time, but I think that very few ex-cons walk out the prison gate at the end of their sentence with a new appreciation for the humanity who was wronged by their crime. I think they probably harbor a fair amount of bitterness, mixed with another part anger, fear, crazy, or any combination of the above.

Do you guys agree? What would be a better system, if any?

What if prisons were reserved for violent offenders, and all others were basically put under monitored house arrest, with their freedoms severely limited... like a very scrictly enforced parole? They could be required to wear a non-removable tracking device so their movements could be followed. For the more troubled non-violent criminals, mandatory therapy could be added to the sentence.

Maybe that's a poor solution. I just think it's fucked up that guys who get busted for having a couple joints can be forced to spend a few years in a big concrete-and-iron building with a bunch of violent murderers and rapists.